Eye of the Beholder 2 - part 5 Author unknown @~Continued from Issue 45 Silver Tower level 1 -------------------- Synopsis: this is the first level of the Silver Tower. The walls consist of finely carved stones polished to a glossy finish. Thri-kreen (Mantis Warriors) are encountered in the first portion of this level and Giant Wasps are encountered in the last portion. locations and events 1 - the stairs descend to Temple level 1 location 14. The first time the party enters this location a "spirit" welcomes them to this "test." 2a-2w on the floor and ceiling at each of these locations sits a light pad. The party suffers severe damage whenever they enter one of these locations. There are also a number of pads that 'blink' on and off, creating an elusive path to the east walls of locations 2u and 2v. When the party enters location 2r, the east walls at 2u and 2v disappear. To navigate the path with as little damage as possible, the party must time the blinking pads correctly. The optimum path is 2c, 2f, 2i, 2j, 2k, 2o, 2s, 2r, 2v. These pads can only be entered safely when they are off, so timing is important. The pad at location 2j never really goes off and the party suffers damage when they enter it. When the east walls at locations 2u and 2v disappear, a number of Mantis Warriors are waiting at location 3. The party must dispose of these creatures as quickly as possible because the blinking light pads are continually cycling. The best strategy is to slay a Mantis Warrior standing in front of the party and quickly step forward (if possible). This gets the party off of the light pads so that they can deal with the Mantis Warriors without receiving extra damage. At location 2p a cursed axe -2 lies on the floor. 3 - there are four Mantis Warriors waiting here. They attack the party when the west wall disappears in an attempt to keep them on the light pads. One of the Mantis Warriors drops a bone key when slain. 4 - a lever set in the south wall turns the blinking light pads on and off. Currently, it is in the on position. In addition, this lever also turns off the pads at locations 2a, 2b, 2d and 2e. 5 - a bone lock in the east wall requires a bone key to open the door. 6 - a button in the north wall opens the west door. 7 - a Mantis egg sits on the floor. If the party hacks it open, a young Mantis Warrior emerges and instantly attacks. 8 - a cursed long sword -2 called "Hunger" lies on the floor here. If the weapon is readied, the character wielding it consumes food twice as fast as the rest of the party. 9 - a plaque on the north wall reads, "What can be trusted?" 10 - a triangular niche is set in the north wall. If the party puts a small item in the niche, the item is replaced with a wand of lightning that has two charges. 11 - a plaque on the north wall reads, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained." 12 - a Mantis Warrior guards this room. On the floor lies a pole arm +1. 13 - a Mantis Warrior guards this room. 14 - a dying Mantis Warrior lies on the floor here. If the party heals the creature it attacks the party (the ungrateful bastard!) It drops a Mantis key when slain. 15 - a half-elven fighter/cleric named Tanglor sleeps on the floor here. He is equipped with plate mail, a dagger, and a holy symbol. He asks to join your party. A short sword +1 and a shield +1 are found on the ground. 16 - a lone Mantis Warrior guards this room. 17 - a magic mouth on the west wall waits here. After the mouth speaks the party must place three bones in the mouth to gain a bone key. 18 - a Mantis lock set in the north wall requires a Mantis key to open the door. 19 - a copper lock set in the south wall requires a copper key to open the door. The stairs to the west lead up to location 33. 20 - two Mantis Warriors guard this room. 21 - the party's attention is drawn to the west by two Mantis Warriors. One of the Mantis Warriors uses a sphere of fire causing a fireball to bear down on the party. Stepping back into the corridor to the south causes the fireball to miss the party. 22a-22c at 22a is a button set into the east wall. At 22c is a pit and a button set in the south wall. The party must throw an item at the button at 22c which will cause the south wall to disappear and a pit to appear at 22b. Pressing the button at 22a causes the pit at 22b to disappear giving the party access to location 23. If the party falls through the pit at 22b they end up at location 24. 23 - a Mantis key lies on the floor here. 24 - if the party fell through the pit at 22b they end up here. 25 - if the party fell through the pit at 22c they end up here. 26a-26b stepping in the teleporter at location 26a transports the party to 26b. 27 - a mage scroll of blur and a mage scroll of dispel magic lie on the floor here. They are guarded by a Mantis Warrior. 28 - an iron ration lies on the floor here. 29 - a Mantis lock set in the north wall requires a Mantis key to open the door to the south. 30 - a Mantis Warrior guards this room. 31 - if the party has not dealt with the eggs in this room when they reach this location, all undamaged eggs suddenly hatch, making for a rather difficult fight. There is also a pair of eyes with green gems set in the south wall. If the left gem is removed then put back, the south wall disappears revealing a hidden room. 32 - a copper key, a sphere of fire, and a Mantis idol all lie on the floor here. 33 - the stairs to the east descend to location 19 34 - the bone lock set in the south wall requires a bone key to open the door. 35 - there are three Giant Wasps at each of these locations. 36 - there are two Giant Wasps here. 37 - there are four Giant Wasps at each of these locations. 38 - a copper key, a femur and a potion of cure poison lie on the floor here. 39 - set in the west wall is the Giant Wasp nest. The nest does not take any damage from any spells or blows directed at it. Giant Wasps can be seen emerging from the nest from time to time. 40a-40e there is a pressure plate on the floor at location 40a. Stepping onto this pressure plate resets all the levers and pits at locations 40b, 40c, 40d, and 40e. To open the four doors in the southern corridor from this room the party must pull the levers in the down position in this order; 40b, 40c, 40e. As each of these levers are pulled a pit opens beneath the preceding lever starting with location 40d when the lever at 40b is pulled. When the lever at 40e is pulled the door to the south opens and the party gains access to the southern corridor and the secret button at location 47. Pressing the button at 47 causes an invisible barrier to form over the pit at 40d thus allowing the party to go back and pull the lever at 40d. Pulling the final lever at 40d opens the last door in the southern corridor. Falling into the pits leads to the following locations; 40b falls to locations 41, 40c falls to location 42, 40d falls to location 43 and 40e falls to location 44. 41 - the party lands here after falling through the pit at location 40b. 42 - the party lands here after falling through the pit at location 40c 43 - the party lands here after falling through the pit at location 40d. 44 - the party lands here after falling through the pit at location 40e. 45a-45b stepping into the teleporter at 45a transports the party at location 45b. 46 - a plaque on the east wall reads, "Faith is the key." 47 - a secret button at the bottom of the west wall causes an invisible barrier to form over the pit at 40d, thus allowing the party to go back and pull the lever. Pulling the lever opens the door to the west of location 47. 48 - a copper lock in the east wall requires a copper key to open the door. 49 - when the party first reaches this location, the spirit that appeared at location 1 returns. 50 - this teleporter supposedly continues the "test", according to the spirit encountered at 49. The spirit is lying. Should the party step into this teleporter, they suffer some damage and are transported back to location 33. 51a-51b - this teleporter supposedly leads to certain death, according to the spirit encountered at 49. The spirit is lying. Stepping into the teleporter transports the party to location 51b, thus continuing the "test". The stairs south at 51b lead up to Silver Tower level 2 location 1. 52 - stepping into this teleporter transports the party to the doorway at location 51a. @~More next issue - o -